In a Seraph's Arms
by xXPurple-CloudsXx
Summary: AU. What if you become blind, would you keep walking forward despite that? Come here, take my hand. If you only have one wing left, I still have one wing so...together... together... SquallxOC
1. Cognito Ergo Sum

**Author's Note: **

For those of you that did not read the summary, this is and AU or alternate universe fic. This fic will really be pushing the boundaries of Squall's character because I want to show how one person can change another and how simple interaction can affect us all. So no he's not going to be OOC, just psychologically different because this is set in a prestigious high school; like Ouran. And because situations are different, his character will be as well. (Remember: different events, and interactions make people the way they are today.) Aside from that he will not be much different. In the beginning he is still cold and indifferent. So enough of my rant, enjoy!

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School…how vapid. I'm happy that I got accepted to SeeD academy on scholarship, but there are times when I wonder if I should really by here, wherever _here_ is. Maybe it's a crossroad in my life? Or maybe it's this planet? I ponder my opportunities. I desperately want to let go and give up, but that is not an option. I can only achieve as much as I will let myself achieve, which as of this moment is not a lot. I never asked to be born in my situation, I just was. Reality is cruel.

I let a soft smile grace my features, as I walked into the classroom; 2A according to my administrative package. Transferring into a top academy at the end of the semester of my second to last year…awkward and on scholarship too no less, but I would do anything to get away from my parents.

I strode up to the instructor's desk and handed her my forms and package. I toyed with the ends of my chocolate colored hair waiting with nervous anticipation for the approval of my package. The instructor, who looked really young for her profession, handed the paperwork back and smiled in approval.

"Excellent, Miss Lacrima, all your paperwork is here. I am Miss Trepe, your teacher. Come, introduce yourself to the class." She led me up to the front of the class. "Class. Today we have a new student, her name is Athene Lacrima. Please welcome her warmly. Now then Miss Lacrima, would you care to tell us a bit about yourself?" I smiled.

"Sure. My name is Athene Lacrima, as I'm sure you all know. I am sixteen years old and one hundred and sixty-eight centimeters tall. I think that's about it." The teacher sighed, she obviously expected me to say a lot more.

"Miss Lacrima, please go sit beside Miss Ophelié Covington. Miss Covington, please raise your hand." A petite girl with flaxen hair and Persian blue eyes sitting by the window raised her appendage. I quickly strode over to the empty desk by her side and sat down.

"I'm Ophelié, nice to meet you." She held out a svelte hand to me.

"I'm Athene, but I guess you already know that." I shook her hand. "This school is as grandiose on the inside as it is on the outside." I grinned.

"Yeah. It's quite a great school."

"I hope so." The teacher started and arithmetic lesson and everyone began to jot down notes.

_Great, just what I need math first thing in the morning._ An hour or two passed by and finally the lunch bell rung and saved me from the clutches of rational expressions and equations. I stifled a yawn behind my hand and followed the stream of people leaving the class to the cafeteria. I grabbed my food, swiped my new student card and embarked on the odyssey of trying to find a seat in the busy room.

_Wow, it sure is busy in here; maybe I'll go eat lunch on the roof. I always sat up on the roof at my old school. I really hoped to change that habit…but I guess not. The cacophony of noise in the cafeteria was starting to give me a migraine. I guess I should go up. _

I ascended the staircase and pushed open the heavy door. There was already a boy sitting there. He had unruly sepia locks, pale azure eyes, and an angular and strong jawline; quite handsome in my opinion. He was clad completely in leather, save for his white V-neck t-shirt. He had on a distinctive black leather bomber jacket with white fur trim

_Isn't he over-heating? I mean it is almost summertime._ I remembered seeing him in class just a while ago. I approached him tentatively.

"How do you do? My name is Athene Lacrima. I'm as new student at the academy. May I sit here?" I trilled softly. He glanced at me briefly.

"Hn. Whatever."

_Humph! Are all attractive men rude?_

"May I ask for your name?" I inquired as I smoothed out my skirt and sat down.

"Squall Leonhart," was his curt reply. He's silent, but then again I didn't mind silence.

"So Squall, are you looking forward to graduating?" I tilted my head a bit to the side.

"I guess…"

_My god, it's like trying to talk to a brick wall. I guess he's waiting for me to leave him alone, but loneliness never solves anything. I should probably leave him be though. I shouldn't be too forceful. _

"I look forward to it with great zeal. I can't wait to get out of high school."

_Maybe at university I won't feel like I'm surrounded by a bunch of idiots. _I scarfed down my lunch and threw the trash away.

"I'll see you in class Squall." I waved and ran off. I sat at my desk and glanced around the room. Ophelié was writing in a notebook. I saw a group of girls in the corner not far from my desk. They were squealing. I caught snippets of their conversation.

"He actually spoke to me today. He told me to 'move it.' Maybe it's a sign that our relationship will bloom. Ahh… (Insert sigh here) Squall Leonhart, so dreamy." I rolled my eyes.

_Great, fangirls are everywhere I go._ _Obsessive freaks. I never saw the point in obsessing in one person. I pity Squall if that's what he has to deal with. The most I can do is ignore them and any attempts they make to convert me over to their side._

"What's up with them?" I motioned over to group. Ophelié looked up from her notebook.

"Oh don't mind them; they're just Squall's personal fan club."

"I feel sorry for him."

"Yeah, anyone would with that crowd." Silence permeated the room.

"Hey Ophelié when I got here they said I had to sign up for a club or an extracurricular. What are you in?"

"I'm in student's council. I'm the treasurer." She pointed at the notebook. "Right now, I'm calculating this month's budget and how much we've used. You should join. We need a secretary. Besides, it's really fun." She leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Most students don't know this, but if you join student council you get special privileges." I quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, such as?" I whispered back.

"Gourmet food, time off class and access to the garden in the back of the school."

"There's a garden?"

"Yep, but not many people know about it."

"I guess maybe I'll join. Who's the president?"

"None other than our extraordinary Squall Leonhart." Ophelié blushed.

_Great another one. _

"I'll join. As long as you promise me I can avoid everything to do with athletics."

"Sure, but why?"

"I am so bad at sports it's not even funny. The only thing I can do without hurting myself is rhythmic gymnastics and even then I've had a ball hit me in the face more than a dozen times."

_I really am a magnet for flying projectiles._

Ophelié giggled. "Alright the next meeting is next week, Friday after school. I'll take you to the student council room."

"Thanks." The bell to class rung and Ophelié turned back to her equations. Squall strolled through the door and half the girls in class looked at him with pure elation. I scoffed silently. Miss Trepe walked in and began to teach English.

_What a bore. As much as I love English…I just can't make it through this class. I wish we'd go over something exciting like poetry or classics, anything but reading war stories. _

"For homework I would like you all to write an essay on your opinion of war and how it is depicted."

_Anything but that, please! I beg of thee all holy God, don't make her assign this. _

"It's due tomorrow."

_Aversion to war topics…I think so. It just reminds me of the pain that those people had to go through. I loath having to read them. It reminds me that thousands upon millions of people were left behind when their loved one's died. The pain that they must've felt is unbearable to even try to imagine._

_I don't like seeing people die. At least I have some peace knowing that they died with honor; to die for one's country. I wouldn't be able to do it. I would die for certain people in the country, but never for the country itself. The country means nothing to me without the people. People are proud to die for their countries in war, but in the end war is just a battle of power and pride and the urge to gain more of it. So does that mean then that the people who sacrificed their lives for their countries did so in futile? Does this mean that their lives meant nothing in the face of war? Were their lives were sacrificed only so that one country could be more powerful that another? Is this really how society works? _

_Yes. We never think about the consequences of our actions. Species are extinct because humans needed food. We never once consider that maybe that species was a keystone species or that maybe it had some important role in ensuring that an ecosystem did survive, such as distributing tree seeds. These seeds are necessary to create a mature ecosystem. Not one completely learns from our mistakes. Time and time again we folly. We are quixotic. It's just human nature. No one can be completely grounded. That's just the way we are. _

"Athene, are you listening?" Ophelié prodded my side.

"A child that lives in peace's opinions will always differ from one living in war."

"Hmm?" I blushed, realizing that I had spoken my thought out loud.

"It's nothing, never mind. Just a little soliloquy."

"About the essay?"

"Yeah."

"I think it's interesting."

"I can't make it through war stories. I avoid them at all costs."

_Ignorance is bliss. We continue to gather the beautiful things in life; pulchritudinous thoughts and dreams, but in the end aren't we just lamenting reality? _

"Never mind me, I'm being quixotic."

"Alright if you say so."

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**A/N:**

What did you guys think? Review please. This is the first time I've tired writing a Character like Athene, let me know what you think of her. Thanks.

xoxo

p.c.


	2. Nyx

**A/N: This is the second Chapter. I'm sorry for taking so long *don't shoot me.* I hope you enjoy! ^^**

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I wandered the halls of the girls' dorm.

_Room 216…Hmm…I wonder where it could be? 215…217…_

I turned the corner.

_Room 216. There it is. It's odd that it would be around the corner, instead of by 215 and 217. _

I walked in to find my luggage on the floor. I lethargically began to hang up the articles of clothing and setting up the bathroom.

_The rooms here are pretty nice. I'm glad that I got a single. It's like a master bedroom. The bathroom even has a soak tub. Wow…this is so luxurious. I guess I should have expected this; after all I am in a school for the wealthy. They must not care about money; I mean to spend it so easily on such trivial and materialistic matters, is really such a shame. I guess one does not know what they have until they lose it and that is the disappointing thing about humans. _

I glanced at the clock after what felt like an eternity of tidying and cleaning. It was already 4:50 p.m.

_Guess I better go down and get some dinner. Come to think of it all this tiding is making me rather hungry. I should probably go down before they stop serving. According to the student handbook, dinner is served from 4-6 p.m. I look forward to it. _

I grabbed my wallet and key and bolted out the door, not bothering to lock the self-locking door. I reached the cafeteria building moments later. I quickly joined the ever-growing line for food.

"Hey, I haven't seen you here before; otherwise I would remember such a pretty face." A brunette with a cowboy hat called out to me from behind.

"I'm Athene. I'm new here." I glanced down, trying to hide my blush.

"The name's Irvine. Pleased to meet a beautiful lady such as yourself, Athene. " He grinned and held out his hand, which I shook tentatively. My cheeks heated to cerise.

_His goal is to keep me blushing, isn't it? _

"Thank you. Pleased to meet a gentleman such as you, Irvine. I'm very flattered by your comments."

_Flattery does nothing to win me into your arms though. _

I mentally scoffed.

"Anything for a pretty lady." He beamed at me. Suddenly Ophelié grabbed Irvine's ear and pulled him slightly out of the line, albeit not enough to make him lose his spot.

"Are you hitting on innocent girls again Irvine?" She glared at him

"N-no. Right Athene?"

"I would call it flattering."

"So he was flirting with you Athene."

"No just some friendly chatting." I smiled innocently.

"If you hit on her Irvine…" Ophelié left her threat unfinished. I heard Irvine silently gulp.

"Ophelié, you shouldn't be too hard on him. He was just welcoming me to the school." I gazed up at her with puppy dog eyes.

_He's not about to get hurt for my sake._

"Fine, I'll believe you, but you better thank Athene." She crossed her arms over her chest and resumed glaring at him.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"You're welcome." Ophelié stood beside me in line.

"Be wary of him. He's a ladies man." She breathed.

"Yeah, I kind of figured." I chortled.

"So, want to eat lunch with us?"

"Who's 'us?'"

"The student council of course, silly."

"Sure, if it isn't too much trouble." Just then a blond boy bumped into me. He glanced at me then muttered an apology before quickly scurrying out of the cafeteria.

"That was Cirrus Arys, he our resident 'Mr. Emo.'" Ophelié whispered.

_Gee, I thought that was Squall or is he just 'Mr. introverted?' _

_Don't think that. It's not proper to judge people before one gets to know them. You never know what kind of demons are in his past. _

I chortled softly. "Maybe it would be wise to look before you leap? No one can completely understand another."

"I guess you're right." She spoke after a second.

"But no one can be perfect, I find myself judging people all the time. It's for the best that one doesn't label them. Hurting people is painful." I gave her a cheerless smile.

"Yeah, you're right." She patted me on the shoulder. "Don't be so gloomy and serious all the time. You'll age faster if you do. Live for the moment, _Carpe Diem._"

"Thanks. I know that I tend to be philosophical."

"Philosophical isn't bad, but too much thinking will make you run around in circles." I laughed.

"Yeah, that happens a lot." Ophelié turned me around and I grabbed my food whilst mouthing "thanks" to her. I paid and waited for her. She led me over to the Student's Council table at the back of the room and we sat down.

"So there is a trip to plan the end of the year festival with the middle school in two weeks. We're going to beach not far from here." Ophelié chatted.

"Sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun. Do we get to miss school?"

"Unfortunately, no. the trip will take place during our four day break. The teachers are giving it to us because they have master classes to take. It is paid for completely by the school."

"Sounds like my kind of vacation." Irvine sat down beside Ophelié. "Yeah, I forgot to mention, this trouble maker over here," she pinched his cheek, "is our vice-president."

"Hello to you too, "Mr." vice-president." Irvine gave me a sheepish smile.

"I wonder where Squall is…"Ophelié muttered.

"Probably eating lunch in the garden. You know how the fangirls get when he eats lunch here." Ophelié shuddered. "Shall we move our little group over there then?" She suggested.

"It's better to give him his privacy, since he went into the garden to eat alone." I stated.

"Aww, you're no fun Athene." Irvine whined.

"It's not that I don't want to go, it's just that if he wants to be alone we should let him. Even though I think being alone never solves anything, everyone needs some alone time."

"But he's alone way too often." Irvine complained.

"Just let him be for now, Irvine." Ophelié interjected.

"Alright." Irvine sulked. I picked at my lunch. The romaine in the salad was full of fork holes by now. I sighed softly.

_Better just savor the food._

I finished dinner first and put my tray away. I was about to get up and leave, when Ophelié stopped me.

"Wait for me at the entrance to the girl's dorms. I'll show you my room."

"Thanks." I beamed at her and scurried off.

Ten minutes later Ophelié greeted me at the door. She lead me up to her room; 222, a floor above my own room.

"So this is my humble adobe," she gestured to the room, "don't be afraid to come here to ask me questions."

_And I though my room was lavish, compared to hers mine is like a hovel._

There are silk curtains draped around wall to ceiling buildings, a king-sized bed, and silk sheets.

"Wow." My jaw slackened. "H-how d-did you manage to get a room of this size?"

"My father donated a lot of money to the school." Ophelié rolled her eyes and scoffed. "It's the least he could've done…" She added under her breath.

_I wonder what she means by that. _

She gestured for me to sit beside her on the bed.

"If you ever need any help feel free to come here."

"Thanks." I glanced over at the calendar hanging on her wall just above her night stand. Her birthday was marked three days from today.

_Maybe I should get her something. She's been so nice to me while I've been here. Maybe I'll make her a flower out of ribbon. People seem to appreciate simple things in life a lot more. _

"So Athene, where were you before the academy?"

"I was in a public high school in Balamb. I'm here so late in the semester because I had some trouble with my scholarship forms. They were mixed up during the process."

"Ahh, I see. So why here exactly?"

"I want to go to a top private school and get a better education."

_And avoid my parents at all costs. _

"That's usually how it is, isn't it?"

"I guess so." I agreed with her for the sake of agreeing. I glanced at the digital clock on Ophelié's bedside dresser. 7:35. I should be going. "Look at the time. I have to get my homework done. I'll see you tomorrow in class. Thanks so much for being very kind to me."

"It's no problem. I'll see you in class." I wave and ran off. When I reached my room I finished my math and started on the flowers, pushing the essay off until last minute.

_I refuse to write it, but I have no choice. _

Tears slid down my cheeks. I blinked a couple of times.

_Where had they come from? Why am I crying? _

I myself could not answer these questions. I just continued to sob. My throat constricted. I felt lethargic, like I could do nothing, I could never accomplish anything.

_What's wrong with me? _

I put the flowers down and opened up a word document on the laptop. The best therapy for tears is writing, so why not write in this state? In my hazy and dismayed state, the essay was finished in no time, but somehow I felt unsatisfied.

_Are my burdens finally catching up to me? _


End file.
